Written Answers Thursday 7 August 2008

Scottish Executive

Fresh Talent Initiative

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the Fresh Talent initiative and what costs have been incurred since its inception, broken down by month.

Linda Fabiani: A Progress Report On The Fresh Talent Initiative was produced by the University of Strathclyde and published on the Scottish Government’s website on 30 October 2006. As part of the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the initiative, the Scottish Government’s analytical services intend to publish a further evidence review of the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland acheme shortly.

  The Fresh Talent initiative was launched in February 2004. A detailed breakdown of expenditure to date is included in the table below. In addition, a further £400,000 per annum was allocated to support the relocation advisory service under the Initiative in each of the financial years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08.

  Fresh Talent Initiative

  

 
 Financial Year


 
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 April
£13,525.28
 -£11,180.00
 -£115,126.68
£116,481.76
£106,691.18


 May
£5,318.50
£10,118.05
£5,165.53
 -£114,456.17
£5,834.73


 June
£50,497.91
£85,234.14
£89,967.61
£25,998.61
£10,826.57


 July
£15,572.76
£6,094.11
£74,871.75
£17,136.36
 


 August
£38,423.87
£25,534.29
£154,347.09
£25,374.03
 


 September
£102,254.42
£61,911.67
£48,346.48
£112.50
 


 October
£16,992.22
£8,077.35
£88,728.55
£64,302.83
 


 November
£184,885.14
£125,629.75
£69,741.04
£159,723.43
 


 December
£98,436.09
£29,532.80
£6,928.00
£41,048.90
 


 January
£16,006.87
£947.72
£327,898.39
£351,440.96
 


 February
£100,531.17
£50,583.63
£61,092.71
£64,705.11
 


 March
£84,391.41
£579,252.26
£471,311.03
£154,755.15
 


 Total
£726,835.64
£971,735.77
£1,283,271.50
£906,623.47
£123,352.48

Fresh Talent Initiative

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have returned to their country of origin in each of the last five years, having failed to meet the financial threshold which allows them to extend their stay under the Fresh Talent initiative.

Linda Fabiani: This is a matter for the UK Government and the Scottish Government does not hold the data requested. Data on the successful applications to other managed migration schemes is held by the UK Borders Agency (UKBA). The Scottish Government is currently in discussion with UKBA about access to this data.

  The Fresh Talent initiative includes a broad range of measures to support and attract migrant workers to live and work in Scotland, including the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme. The scheme allows international students to remain and work for up to 2 years after graduation. Since June 2005 over 8,300 graduates have successfully applied to remain.

  The scheme has now been subsumed into tier one of the UK’s new managed migration arrangements as tier one: post study and continues to be managed for the whole of the UK by the UKBA. At any point during the two years’ leave to remain individuals can apply to extend their stay under one of the other UK managed migration routes.

Higher Education

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many European language graduates from Scottish institutions had found employment in the (a) business services, (b) wholesale and retail, (c) manufacturing, (d) banking and finance and (e) transport and communications sector six months after graduation in the latest year for which information is available.

Fiona Hyslop: The statistics are presented in the following table.

  Full-Time Higher Education Graduates Gaining Employment Six Months After Graduation from Scottish Institutions by Industry of Employer and Subject Studied (%): 2005-06

  

 
 Total
 Banking and Finance
 Business Services
 Manufacturing
 Transport and Communication
 Wholesale and Retail
 Other Industry


 Total
 100%
 21%
 29%
 15%
 18%
 5%
 12%


 French
 100%
 24%
 28%
 17%
 16%
 5%
 10%


 German
 100%
 24%
 24%
 16%
 18%
 3%
 16%


 Spanish
 100%
 20%
 20%
 15%
 17%
 7%
 20%


 Italian
 100%
 23%
 43%
 10%
 3%
 10%
 10%


 Other European Language
 100%
 15%
 32%
 12%
 26%
 5%
 11%



  Source: Higher education Statistics Agency (HESA) and Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

  Note: The overall response rate, including both HESA and SFC data, for the subject groups in the above table was 78%.

Higher Education

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) employment, (b) unemployment and (c) further study or training rates were six months after graduation for graduates in (i) English, (ii) mathematics, (iii) science and (iv) psychology from Scottish institutions in the latest year for which information is available.

Fiona Hyslop: The statistics the member requested are shown in the following table.

  Destination of Full-Time Higher Education Graduates from Scottish Institutions Six Months after Graduating by Subject Area: 2005-06

  

 
 Total
 Study/Training
 Permanent Home Employment
 Temporary Home Employment
 Overseas Employment
 Believed Unemployed
 Other


 Total
 5,835
 1,865
 2,260
 670
 175
 350
 510


 English
 825
 280
 270
 110
 40
 40
 80


 Mathematics
 420
 125
 180
 55
 5
 25
 35


 Science (Excluding Psychology and Mathematics)
 3,625
 1,250
 1,390
 375
 100
 220
 295


 Psychology
 965
 215
 425
 135
 25
 70
 100



  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

  Notes:

  The overall response rate, including both HESA and SFC data, for the subject groups in the above table was 78%.

  Figure have been rounded to the nearest five. 0, 1, 2 have been rounded to 0. Figures may not sum exactly to totals due to rounding.

  Figures in this table have been weighted according to response rates by subject of study

  "Believed unemployed" includes graduates from higher education institutions that are looking for employment, further study or training or are due to start a job in the next month plus graduates from further education colleges who have no arrangement for further study or employment.

  "Other" destinations include those who are unable to work, looking after the home or family, taking time out in order to travel, or are not otherwise included under an alternative heading.

Police

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police response vehicles are available in each local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for individual Chief Constables.